1990 Chevrolet Blazer problems & reliability
32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 Chevrolet Blazer. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1990 Chevrolet Blazer vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 25% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 16% |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 13% |
| Power Train | 3 | 9% |
| Seats | 3 | 9% |
| Suspension | 2 | 6% |
| Tires | 2 | 6% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Consumer pulled vehicle in driveway and there was black smoke coming from underneath hood and the dashboard. Fire department was called out to put fire out. *ak”
Electrical System · filed Jan 22, 2002
“While driving the vehicle began to experience engine trouble, the driver pulled the vehicle over, the vehicle started smoking then became engulfed in flames (ohio traffic crash report). Nlm”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Apr 6, 2001
“When applying brakes pedal goes to floor, causing extended stopping distance. Please give any further details.*ak”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Mar 30, 2001
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA94029 · opened Jul 29, 1994 · closed Jul 31, 1996
- HIGH IDLE FLARE
Engineering Analysis EA92015 · opened May 22, 1992 · closed May 28, 1993
- HIGH IDLE FLARE
Preliminary Evaluation PE92001 · opened Jan 7, 1992 · closed May 22, 1992
- BRAKE FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA91028 · opened Jun 10, 1991 · closed Jun 30, 1992
- HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE91057 · opened Mar 6, 1991 · closed Jul 12, 1991
- BRAKE FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE91052 · opened Feb 22, 1991 · closed Jun 10, 1991
Technical service bulletins
6 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Chevrolet Blazer.
Diagnosis of cracked or broken transmission case. *tt 2006 and prior cars and light duty trucks. *tt
020730024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2005
Pop snap noise in the front suspension when braking. *mr
02015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Diagnostic information for intermittent transmission downshift, slip, busy/cycling tcc or noisy cooling fan. *tt
990730016A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2002
Water leak at the a/c recirculation door (install new hood hinge seal). *tw
GM561204 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
End gate latch rattle (install revised striker). *tw
GM161514 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
Front door side glass binding/track disengagement. *tw
9310A343 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1993
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1990 Chevrolet Blazer in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1990 Chevrolet Blazer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.